As the first series reaches its conclusion somebody is murdering Dirk's former clients and the police are breaking into his house; obviously its time for him to run before he is gaoled for murders he didn't commit. Back at the office he comes out of hiding just long enough to get a client who seems to remember him from somewhere but isn't quite sure. She hires him to catch a man who has been stalking her. Dirk takes the case knowing it will be the easiest in his career; it is easy because he knows who the stalker is already; not due to Holmesian deduction but because he himself is the guilty party! Soon the police catch up with him and he discovers they don't suspect him at all; in fact they wanted to protect him. A suspect soon emerges; a man Dirk 'framed for murder' several years before and has only recently been released from prison. The case isn't the only bother Dirk is facing; all the people who he owes money to have had enough and want paying; even his cleaner has quit leaving him having to find somebody else to clean up his messy house.
When I saw the pilot episode I worried how this TV version would compare to the books; now I don't worry about that; they are two totally separate things and are best judged as if they just happen to share a few characters. Doing that I can enjoy the series for what it is; a fun murder mystery with far more laughs than you usually get in the genre. This episode was particularly funny and had me laughing out loud several times. Of course it is totally ridiculous but that is all part of its charm. Stephen Mangan is great in the lead role; hilarious without being silly and likable despite his character being fairly obnoxious. Darren Boyd is equally good as his straight-man sidekick MacDuff who is usually put upon but here finally turns and tells Dirk what he thinks of him. Judging by how much fun the three episodes in this series were I wouldn't be at all surprised if further series are commissioned; if they are I hope they are longer as three episodes wasn't enough.
When I saw the pilot episode I worried how this TV version would compare to the books; now I don't worry about that; they are two totally separate things and are best judged as if they just happen to share a few characters. Doing that I can enjoy the series for what it is; a fun murder mystery with far more laughs than you usually get in the genre. This episode was particularly funny and had me laughing out loud several times. Of course it is totally ridiculous but that is all part of its charm. Stephen Mangan is great in the lead role; hilarious without being silly and likable despite his character being fairly obnoxious. Darren Boyd is equally good as his straight-man sidekick MacDuff who is usually put upon but here finally turns and tells Dirk what he thinks of him. Judging by how much fun the three episodes in this series were I wouldn't be at all surprised if further series are commissioned; if they are I hope they are longer as three episodes wasn't enough.
